Curried Shrimp with Lentils, Quinoa and Apple Recipe
Wash and dry the shrimp thoroughly. Soak six, 10-inch or longer, wooden skewers in cold water for 1 hour. Thread 5 shrimp onto each skewer so that they lie flat. Place the skewers onto a rimmed baking sheet large enough to hold all of them in a single layer. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Make the curry dressing: Place the mustard, curry, cumin, tumeric, cloves, nutmeg, salt, pepper, cilantro, basil, shallot, garlic, lemon juice, mirin, vinegar, and honey into a blender or mini-food processor. Pulse several times, then blend the mixture on medium speed until puréed. With the machine running, drizzle in as much of the oil as necessary to create an creamy, fully emulsified dressing. Set aside.
Make the lentils: In a medium saucepan combine the lentils, onion, carrots, and celery. Pour in 1-cup stock and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until tender about 15 minutes. Let the lentils cool in the liquid then drain them well, discard vegetables and place the lentils into a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
Make the quinoa: Meanwhile, in a small saucepan combine quinoa and remaining 1-cup broth. Season generously with a big pinch or two salt. Bring to a boil, then cover the pan and lower the heat to very low. Cook until most of the liquid is absorbed and the grains are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain the quinoa in a fine mesh sieve. Let cool somewhat then add them to the bowl with the lentils.
Assemble the salad: To the large mixing bowl containing the lentils and quinoa, add chickpeas, tomatoes, apples, and mushrooms. Pour about half of the curry dressing over the salad and toss gently. Taste for seasoning. Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.
Just before serving heat the grill or grill pan. Brush both sides of all the shrimp with some of the remaining curry dressing; season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, remove the salad from the refrigerator and spoon it onto a large serving platter; set aside.
Grill shrimp 2 minutes per side, or until just cooked through. Lay the grilled shrimp skewers on top of the salad and brush with a bit of the remaining dressing. Serve immediately.